However, without the proper storage, most of it will go to waste since much of the produce ripens simultaneously in the summer. So, this book teaches you simple techniques for storing your produce so you can enjoy your home grown produce year round.

Piers starts out by describing the various methods of storage beginning with basic methods and covering the whole gamut including clamping, freezing, drying, vacuum-packing, salting, canning and fermenting and ending with pickles, relishes, sauces, jams and jellies. In the second part of the book, the author goes into detail on how to preserve various kinds of produce from fruits to vegetables - including such unusual items like chicory and salsify. Celeriac wine, anyone?

I'm not sure if I'd use many of the recipes included in the book (the British have an inordinate fondness for gooseberries), but if you are wondering how to preserve a certain type of fruit or vegetable, this book gives you some good suggestions. And, even though this book is a little light on in-depth techniques, you'll still want to cuddle up with Piers in bed this winter to learn about and plan how you'll store next year's garden bounty.

If you are interested in signing up for this book giveaway, add your name to the comments of this post. The giveaway ends this Thursday, December 11th at 6:00 pm PST. I'll be doing a random drawing and announcing a winner shortly thereafter. If you've won a book (or blanket) from me recently, I haven't forgotten about you... since my back went out I haven't been able to lift the boxes to take to the post office, but I'll get them out this Friday.

No need to include my name in the draw, I'm in Australia. I've spent the last 4 days madly preserving 23kg of cherries from my single tree. And there's still more to pick. The single best thing I could've done was find a cherry stone removing gadget in time for the avalanche of fruit... but I didn't and all the jam recipes in the world won't save me now.< sob! >

I definitely need some help in this area! I have a relatively new property. The first summer was terribly dry and hot, but this past summer was near perfect! But I overreacted to the hot/dry year and over-planted everything. When the produce started coming in fast and furiously, I was at a loss!

This would be a great book for us! We're on a third of an acre, most of it rock ledge, but we do have a productive little garden where we grow extra veggies for storing: squashes, strawberries (ok, those don't often get stored, or even make it indoors), tomatoes and more...Mostly I use my dehydrater, though I am hoping to get a pressure canner for xmas (I just don't trust my water canning. Must have had a bad experience with botulism in a past life, LOL)

Yes! Yes! to the book! This year was my first embarking on this project of growing and planting. Started toying around with canning, freezing and dehydrating but I've just begun. Surely we would starve by December if it were left to this years effort. Much to learn. -Sandy

Gooseberries are yummy! And to boot, they are rather funny looking. They look like tiny, slightly fuzzy watermelons. I'd never had them before marrying my Swedish husband, so I have no idea if they can be found in the U.S., but I have found gooseberry jam (also yummy) over here. My mother is an avid gardener and does a lot of canning, but maybe this book would have some less labor-intensive ideas!

Ooooh! Me! Me! Pick me! :) *she says, delurking for perhaps the second time in a year*

I got my very first hot water canner this year (not counting the one I use for dye work, so, yeah -- not preserving anything in that one) too late to really help me, BUT my FIL is sending us their hot water one AND a pressure canner. I have the Ball Blue Book for recipes/instructions, but would LOVE help planning my itty bitty city lot garden this year. (Only the side yard gets full sun, so that's where the tomatoes go. The peppers were disappointing. :( I'm working on stealth gardening in the front, though, and can use all the help I can get.)

Crunchy, I come and read alot but seldom leave any comments. I love your site, and content. I have been canning for a long time, but still would like to be included in this drawing, after I read the book (if I were to be chosen), I would pass it on to my daughter and daughter in law. If not chosen, I might get this book anyway, it looks like it has oodles of great info.

Would love to check this book out! I just finished reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. What an inspiration. Too bad I read it in December. I can't wait for the summer to roll around again. We canned quite a few tomatoes and such last summer, and the most delish peaches that I am sad to say will not last us till the next harvest. Hope I win it! Thanks for all you do.

Please oh please oh please! I took a canning class at a local organic farm last year, and it is one of my resolutions for next year to only eat locally and ideally, only in season. This book would help!

What can I say, I'd love it and I love gooseberries too. They are absolutely delicious in crumble or with a meringue topping (kind of like lemon meringue pie). I'm growing a little more in my garden each year but I've no clue about how to store, which holds me back from doing more.

xx Fingers crossed for a female winner this time and let it be me (or someone even more deserving)!

This sounds like an awesome book! I love trying to grow new foods, but am stumped when it comes to preserving many of them... especially since I have an obsession with hard to can stuff, like squash. I'd love to store our produce in a way other than canning or the giant mound of pumpkins and acorn squash sitting in my dining room (freezin' my buns also alleviates the problem of no root cellar).

Knowing Piers Warren personally, I can highly recommend this book . . . won or bought. You can count on whatever Piers suggests you do . . . from canning tomatoes to trekking through the Tanzanian bush with Maasai by your side . . . he'll never steer you wrong.Sheilagh a/k/a Mama Africa

I'm in again! We have been tinkering with several ideas for root cellars, but once you have the structure, the vegetables get picky about temperature and humidity... Would love this book, thanks Crunchy!

That looks like a great book. After the dastardly failure of my two lonely tomato plants last year (well, the failure was really mine in forgetting to water them, but the end result was still dead plants) I am determined to raise a successful garden next year! Please add me to your drawing.

I've canned and dried, and am ready now for a root cellar. Does the book cover that? Still, it would be a great resource, as I always end up feeding a lot of leftover harvest to the chickens....Love your blog!Liz in NoCal

Count me in! I manage to keep up with eating the output of my garden for a while each summer...then the beans, tomatoes and squash explode and I'm overwhelmed. And my compost pile gets fed more than it should.

Well, learning more about preserving my home-grown food is on my to-do list right now, so this book would come in handy! I'd love to curl up with it this winter ... and then I'd pass it along to another fellow Produce Preserver.